Bucket list experience:
Operating from 1936 to 1945, Sachsenhausen was one of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps during World War II. It was initially designed as a model camp to serve as a training ground for SS officers. However, it soon became a place of unimaginable suffering and death for tens of thousands of prisoners.
Sachsenhausen held political dissidents, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals, and other groups deemed undesirable by the Nazis. The prisoners endured harsh conditions, forced labor, medical experiments, and brutal treatment. The camp also housed execution facilities, gas chambers, and crematoria, where thousands of prisoners were systematically murdered.
Liberation came in April 1945 when the Soviet Army arrived. Today, Sachsenhausen stands as a memorial and museum, providing visitors with a sobering reminder of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust and the importance of learning from history.
The best way to visit is on a guided tour from the city. See our recommendations below in the ‘organised tours’ seciton.
If you prefer to go independently, get a regional train (RB or RE) from Berlin Hauptbahnhof (the central train station) to Oranienburg, which takes approximately 30 minutes. From Oranienburg station, you can either walk for about 25 minutes or take a bus (line 804 or 821) to the memorial site. The bus journey takes around 10 minutes.
You can book a tow-hour guided tour directly with the museum by filling out the form on the website. Min age 14 and book 4 months ahead.
The museum is open all year round, seven days a week.
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